Automatic coupling device for ferries.



W. H. SELTZER.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING DEVICE FOR FERRIES.

APPLICATION r1120 NOV.27. 1914.

1,154,133. PatentedSept. 21,1915.

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AUTOMATIC COUPLING DEVICE FOR FERRIES.

Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27. 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH AUTOMATIC CO U'PLING'D'EVICE FOR FERRIES.

Application filed November 27, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HARRIS SELTZER, of 2829 North Eleventh street, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Coupling Devices for Ferries, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to coupling devices for ferries and its chief object is to provide devices of the above character, which are absolutely automatic in operation and whereby the deck of a ferry boat may be first brought into acciuate alinement with the level of the bridge of a ferry slip, and thereafter securely coupled thereto, without necessitating any attention whatever by the deck hands or other attendants, so that the latter may devote their entire attention to the safety of the passengers.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I,

is a plan view showing diagrammatically a portion of a ferry boat and its slip and the application of my invention thereto. II is a side elevation of the same. Fig. III is an enlarged plan of one .of the coupling devices in locked position. Fig. IV is a longitudinal section of the samelas indicated at IV-IV in Fig. III. Fig. V is a detail cross section indicated at VV in Fig. IV. Fig. VI is a view similar to Fig. V with the parts shown out of alinement.

In the said figures, 1, indicates comprehensively the deck of a ferry boat and 2, the bridge of the ferry slip. This bridge is constructed in a well-known manner, being supported at its outer end upon pontoons conventionally'shown at 3, in Fig. II. The

' bridge thereby rises and falls in accordance with the tide, sothat its top is at all times at substantially the same level as that of the deck of the boat.

Located at the ends of the boat, are the hook members of coupling devices, comprehensively indicated at 5 and 6, and which are respectively adapted to cooperate with the complementary guide and locking members 7 and 8, secured to bridge 2, in any well-known manner. The hook members 5 and 6, are similar in construction, so that the description of one will therefore hold good for itsfellow also. Referring more particularly to Figs. III and IV, these hook members are mounted in openings9, in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig.

Patented Sept. 21, 1%15.

Serial No. 874,180.

boat deck and each comprises a hook 10, having a shank 11, slidably mounted in a sleeve 12. As seen in Fig. V, the shank 11, is square in cross-section so as to prevent ro tation of the same in the sleeve 12. The said sleeve is provided with trunnions 1313, which are journaled in suitable bearings 14l14, bolted to. the sides of the opening 9. The shank of the hook is extended a substantial distance beyond the pivotal point, the counter weight thus afforded serving to keep the hook normally in the horizontal position, with the end of the shank resting upon a roller 15. This roller is supported for rotation in the bifurcated end of a lever 16, mounted upon a shaft 17. Said shaft is common to both the boat deck devices 5 and 6, and is journaled in suitable bearings l8l8 secured to the underside of the deck 1, adjacent to the side edges of the openings 9. To the shaft 17, is also secured handlever 19, for releasing the coupling hooks in a mannor to be more fully described later. The said lever is received within a recess 20, in the boat deck so as to be normally out of the way. V

A cushioning spring 21, encircles the shank 11, of the hook 10, and abuts at one end against the sleeve 12, and at its other end, against a pin 22, secured within the shanks. The guiding and locking members 7 and 8, are also similar and the description of one will therefore also hold good for the other. Each of these members comprises a casting which is rigidly secured to the edge of the bridge 2, and is provided with cam surfaces 25 and 26, which terminate in a recess 27, adapted to receive-the edge of the boat deck. A buffer 28, is located within this recess and through the instru nentality of a spring 29, serves to absorb the shock of impact, as the ferry approaches the slip, in effecting a landing.

The recess 27, is offset as at 30, thereby providing a locking ledge 31, adapted to cooperate with the hook as best shown in Fig. IV. The upper and lower cam surfaces 25 and 26, are both functional in guiding the edge of the boat deck into the recess 27 and their scope is suiiicient to allow for various conditions of load upon the ferry or to the rocking of the boat in rough water. From the factthat both the slip bridge and boat deck are capable of slight vertical movement, (both being floating members) it will readily be seen that a relative compensation Will take place between them When the boat deck enters the recesses in the guiding and locking elements, so that when they are ultimately adjusted With respect to each other, 7

the level of the boat deck and the bridge will be in perfect alinement, thereby facilitating the automatic operation of the hooks. The upper cam surface 25, is further functional in depressing the hook and swinging the same about its'pivotal support against the influence of the counterweighted shank 11, as the boat enters the slip. When the hook reaches apoint beyond the projection 31, its counterwei 'lited shank causes the hook to be raised within the offset 30, so that the end of the hook engages the pro jection 31, thereby securely coupling the ferry to the bridge of the slip. The buffer spring 21, becomes effective at this time to compensate for any rebounding due to the force of impact when the landing is made.

As shown in Fig. V, both the hook 10, and

the projection 31, are rounded. This facilitates the entry of the hook in the event of the hook member being somewhat out of alinement with respect to the locking element, as illustrated inFig. VI. Fromacursory glance at this figure, it will be apparent that in the further lateral motion of the boat deck, the co-acting curved surfaces of the hook 10, and the projection 31, Will cause the hook to be depressed until the two parts of the coupling devices are in perfect alinement, and When mately assumes the proper position with respect to the bridge, the hook 10, will engage behind the projection 31, in a manner simi- 'lar to that already described.

From the above, it Will be noted that my improved coupler is entirely automatic in operation so that in effecting a landing, the deck hands may devote their entire attention to the safety of the passengers.

When it is desired to uncouple the ferry, the hand lever 19, is raised, thereby turning shaft 17, and causing roller arms 16, to elevate the hook shanks 11, thereby releasing the hooks 10, from their engagement With the ledge 31. I

I Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In an automatic coupling device for .ferrles, the combmationof guide members mounted upon the bridge of a ferry slip, said guide members having a recess for the reception of the edge of the ferry boat deck; cam surfaces adapted to guide the said deck into the said recess; and means for coupling the said boat to the said bridge.

2. In an automatic coupling device forferries, the combination of guide members mounted upon the bridge of a ferry slip, said guide members having a recess for the reception of the edge of the ferry boat deck; cam surfaces for guiding the said deck into the boat deck ulti-- the said recess, coupling means carried by the said ferry boat and adapted to automatically engage Within the sald recess.

3. In arr-automatic coupling device for ferries, mounted upon the bridge of the ferry slip, said guide member having a recess for the reception of the edge of the ferry boat deck; cam surfaces for guiding the said deck into the said recess, coupling means'carried by the said ferryand adapted to automatically engage Within the said recess; and buffers. mounted in the said recess and adapted to the combination of guide members be engaged by the said deck to absorb the I shock of impact in landing. V

1. In an automatic coupling device for ferries, the combination of guide members mounted upon the bridge of the ferry slip, said guide members having a recess for the I reception of the edge of the ferry deck; cam

surfaces for-guiding the said deck into the said recess; coupling means carried by the said ferry boat and adapted to automatically engage Within an offset in the said recess.

5,111 an automatic coupling device for ferries, the combination ofcoupling hooks pivotally mounted upon the deck of a ferry boat; guide members. mounted upon the bridge of aferryv slip and adapted to receive and guide the said hooks; locking ledges comprised by the said guide members; and

means for forcing the said hooks into engagement with the said ledges.

6."In an automatic coupling device for ferries, the combination of guide members mounted uponthe end of the bridge bf a ferry slip; recesses formed in the said'members, said recesses terminating in locking ledges; couplinghooks pivotally mounted upon the deck of a ferry boat and counter- Weighted beyond their pivots so as to be capable of being automatically guided into the recesses in the said guide members and finally forced into engagement With the locking ledges in the said recesses. 1

7. 1n anautomatic coupling device for ferries, the combination of a plurality of coupling members mounted upon the bridge of a ferry slip; pivotally mounted coupling hooks carried upon thedeck of a ferry boat and adapted to automatically jengage the said coupling members, said hooks beingcounterweighted beyond their pivotal supports, roller arms normally supporting the 7 said hooks in horizontal position agalnst the effectof their counterweights; a rock shaft for the said arms, and a hand lever for the said rock shaft for simultaneously releasing the said hooks. 7 V

8. In an automatic coupling device for ferries, the combination of coupling members mounted upon the deck of a ferry boat, said members comprising. coupling hooks provided With elongated counterbalancing ,shanks; sleeves for slidinglyv supporting the said shanks, said sleeve being pivotally supported to allow the hooks to swing in a vertical direction; shock absorbing springs for the said hooks; means for normally holding said hooks in a. horizontal position; complementary coupling elements mounted upon the bridge of a ferry slip and comprising recesses for the reception of the said coupling hooks; offsets in the said recesses providing locking ledges; cam surfaces for dey pressing While guiding the said hooks into the said recesses until automatically forced into engagement With the said locking ledges under the influence of the counterweighted shanks.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this tWentythird day of November 1914.

WILLIAM HARRIS SELTZER.

Witnesses WILLIAM M. FINKHEIMER, CARRIE REDEKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

